Wall covering



April 12,

1932. J. KRAUSS WALL COYERING Filed Jan. 22, 193i Fill lNvENToR PatentedApr. 12, 1932 UNMED 'STATES PATEr oFFlca J' OSEPH KBAUSS, 0F PITTSBURGH,QENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T NEW BRICKCORPORATION, 01|?V PITTSBUBGE, PENNSYLVANIA, A

l WALL COVEBING' Application led January 22, 1931. Serial No. 510,442. I

My present invention relates to the art of wall covering wherein a wall,usually an exterior wall of a wooden building, is to be pro'- videdwit-h a surface giving the appearance of being formed of brick or thelike.

Frequently for this purpose metal sheets colored and marked off torepresent bricks and the like are nailed to the wooden backing, but theartificiality of such a surface is usua l quite apparent and the generaleffect is clieap and tawdry.

Again blocks intended to represent bricks and the like have beencemented or otherwise secured by surface attachment to sheets of backingmaterial, such as composition boards and the boards have then beennailed to the wall. In such cases to properly carry out the delusion theblocks must be of a material of different charactei` than that of thebacking and diiculty is ex erienced in maintaining a permanent bon orunion between the blocks and the backing owing largely to the differentcoefficients of expansion and contraction of the two materials, andtherefore in time the blocks tend to become loosened and in some casesdetached from the backing.

One of the objects which I have in view is the provision of aninexpensive wall cover.

ing simulating bricks or the like which may be readily attached to thebuilding; which will resent a close resemblance to a brick or similgrwall, and which will remain permanently in place and indefinitely retainthe desired ap arance.

For t purpose I have invented a new and improved wall coveringcomprising -a composltion board backing preferably of material similarto cellotex which is a com osition formed .of suger cane with bloc sformed of plastic material, such as cement, which are cast in place onthe backing and with metallic anchors secured to the backing and havingenlarged 'or angular ortions which are embedded in the materla of theblocks when such material is cast.

In the preferrred embodiment'of my invention the anchors extend-forwardly through openings in the bacln'ng board and have extended rearends to prevent their being drawn forwardly through the backing.`

I prefer to use as anchors sheet metal members havin twin projecting'portions or flanges whic extend forwardly through ad- ]acent elongatedopenings in the backing board, and which have a connecting bridge or webortion which lits against the rear face of t e backing between said oenings.

The ortions of the anchor mem ers which protru e forwardl from thebacking board are bent to provi e better anchorage in the plasticmaterial of the blocks, and I prefer to slit such portions of the anchormembers to form tongues which are bent alternatel in either directionsubstantially parallel withI the backing board. A

One or more anchor members may be provided for each block and an anchormember may be of suflicient length to bridge a plurallty of blocks withplain sections without forwardly extending ortions corresponding to the'spaces or val eys between adjacent blocks.

I have also invented a new and improved process of manufacturing suchwall covering. In theaccom anying drawin s wherein I have illustrate apractical em odiment of the principles of my invention, Fig. l .is aface view of a section of my improved wall coverlng.

Fig. 2 is a broken longitudinal section of the same taken along the line2--2 in Fi 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of my preferred orm of anchormember.

Fig. 4 is a face view on reduced scale of ,the backing board.

Fig. 5 is a broken plan view showing an anchor member individual to asin le block. Fi 6 is a longitudinal section ta en along the lme 6--6 inFig. 5.

' Figs. 7 and 8 are broken longitudinal sec- En i lllhese are indicatedgenerally by the reference numeral 2, and are shown as arranged in threehorizontally disposed rows of two blocks each, the top row comprisingthe 5 blocks 2a and 2b, the intermediate row comprising the blocks 2cand 2d, and the bottom drow comprising the blocks 2e and 2f. Separatingthe blocks and also running along certain of the perimetral edges of theunits are the valleys 3 which are exposed portions of the backing board1.

rlhe blocks of adjacent rows are in staggered relation so as to brealrjoints and also to permit the ends of adjacent units to interlock toform a continuous surface when the units are nailed or otherwise securedto'the building wall.

rJlhe blocks are anchored to the backing board by means of metallicanchoring members attached to the board and having their outer endsembedded in the material of the blocks when the same is cast in plasticcondi-l` tion.

Preferably these anchoring members eX- tend forwardly through openingsin the backing board and have enlarged rear ends to prevent them frombeing drawn forwardly through the board.

ln the figures now under discussion l show the board provided with pairsof parallel elongated openings or slot d disposed vertically on theboard. At the center of the board a series of three pairs of said slotsare arranged in vertical array, the members of the upper and lower pairsbeing on either side of the valley 3 which intervenes between the blocksof the row, while'the centenpair of slots are covered by the block 2cwhen the block is cast.

5 represents a metallic anchor member which may be formed of a strip ofsheet metal, preferably galvanized, t prevent rusting, and having itsedges formed with bent tongues 6 which are inserted forwardly 45 throughthe slots 4 to protrude at the front of the board and the protrudingportions of said slots are slit to form fingers 7 which are bent inopposite direction so that they are substantially parallel with thefront face of the board 1 but spaced outwardly therefrom as best shownin Figs. 2 and 3. The central ortion of the anchor 5 bears against thehack face of the backing board, forming a bridge or web which preventsthe anchor being drawn forwardly through the openings in the backingboard. The plastic materialof which the blocks are formed is castagainst the front face of the backing board o with the lingers 7embedded therein, and thus vidual to the blocks 2a and 2e respectively,

such anchors being only lof suiicient length asesaeae to anchor a singleblock to the backing board. Similar short anchors 5a are used to anchorthe outer ends of the blocks 2h and 2f to the backing board.

ln the case of the block 2d also shown in Figs. 5 and 6 a single anchor5b of greater width is employed to anchor the block to the backingboard. y

ln Fig. 7 l show the use of another form of anchor comprising a pin 8having an enlarged head 9, the pin being inserted forwardly through ahole 10 in the backing boardy 1 and having an enlarged cap or washer 11fixed on its outer end as by riveting, which cap is embedded in thematerial of the block 2. In F ig. 8 I show a bolt 12 having an enlargedhead 13 used in asimilar manner, the nut 14 being screwed on the head ofthe bolt and being embedded in the material of the block 2. f

After the blocks have been cast on the board and have set and hardenedand have been properly cured the valleys 3 are pointed with suitablemortar, thus producing an effect in very close simulation to a brick orlike wall and also sealing the edges of the blocks at the joints betweenthe edges of the blocks and the backing 'board against the entrance ofmoisture. When the units are in interlocked relation the joints betweenthe units are simi- Ala-rly pointed and sealed with mortar. j

It is apparent from the foregoing descrip' tion that my improved wallcovering forms a very satisfactory and advantageous material forcovering the walls of buildings in simulation of a wall formed of brickor other laid units. The blocks may be made of suitable plastic materialand colored to the desired tints. The material is readily put up andwill maintain its place. The blocks will not become accidentallyloosened or detached and the use of bricklayers mortar for pointing thevalleys and the joints greatly heightens the resemblance to the wall ofbrick or other laid units.

What I claim is 1. A wall covering for simulating bricks and other laidbuilding units, comprising a backing board of composition, blocks castof plastic material onto the face of the board, and metallic anchormembers secured to the board and protruding forwardly therefrom andembedded in the material of the blocks.

2. A wall covering for simulating bricks and other laid building units,comprising a backing board of composition, blocks cast of plasticmaterial onto the face of the board, and metallic anchor members securedto the boardand protruding forwardly therefrom and embedded in thematerial of the blocks,

K said anchor member having outer ends angular to'their body portions toassist the grip of the material of the blocks thereon.

3. A wall covering for simulating bricks and other laid building units,comprising a aeeaeae 'w the anchors being embedded in said material.

4c. A wall covering for simulating bricks and other laid building units,comprising a backing 'board of composition having apertures formedtherethrough, metallicanchor members inserted throughsaid apertures andhaving extended inner ends to prevent them frombeing drawn forwardlythrough the board, the outer ends of the anchor members being angular totheir bodies, and blocks cast of materialwhile plastic onto the frontface of the board, the outer ends of the anchor members being embeddedin the material or the blocks.

5. A wall covering for simulating bricks and other laid building units,comprising a backing board of composition having a pair of parallelelongated apertures cut therethrough, a sheet metal anchoring memberhaving'edge flanges protruding forwardlyv through said apertures whileits central portion forms a bridge 'which bears against the rear face ofthe board, and said Hanges being bent parallel with the front face ofthe board, and a block cast of material while plastic onto the frontface of the board, the protruding ianges being embedded in the materialof the blocks. p

5. A wall covering for simulating bricks and other laid building unitscomprising a backing board of composition having a pair or parallelelongated apertures out therethroughVa sheet metal anchoring memberhaving edge flanges protruding forwardly lill through said apertureswhile its central portion forms a bridge which bears against the reartace of the board, and said anges being cut to form ngers which are bentin alternate vdirections parallel with the front faceot the board, and ablock of material cast while plastic onto the front tace of the board,

said lingers being embedded in the material oi the blocks.

7. A wall covering for simulating briclrs and other laidbuilding unitscomprising a backing board of composition having a pair of .parallelelongated apertures cut therethrough, a sheet metal anchoringjmemberhav. ing edge anges protrudingv forwardly through said apertures whileits central portion forms a bridge which bears against the rear face oithe board, and said Hanges `being bent parallel with the front face ofthe board, and a plurality of blocks cast of material while plastic ontothe front face el said board,

'-of material while plastic. onto the front face of the board, saidfingers being embedded in the material of said blocks.

9. A wall covering for simulating bricks and other laid building units,comprising a backing board or composition, metallic anchoring membersattached to said board Vand extending forwardly therefrom, blocks castof material while plastic onto said board with valleys interveningbetween said blocks, the

protruding portions of the anchoring members being embeddedfin thematerial of said blocks, and mortar pointing said valleys and sealingthe Joints between the blocks and the backing board.

10, A wall covering for simulating bricks and other laid building units,comprising a e..

ybacking board of composition, said board ing provided with aperturestherethrough, metallic anchor members extending forwardly through saidapertures and having their rear ends extended to prevent them beingdrawn forwardly through said apertures, blocks cast o material whileplastic onto the face ot the board with valleys intervening betweenadjacent blocks, and a pointin of mortar for said valleys to seal thejoints between the blocks and the board,

' Signed at Pittsburgh, Pa., this 21st day of January, 1931..

' s JOSEPH mAUSS,

